Regulations on surveying and collecting audit information of the State Audit in Vietnam

Pursuant to the provisions of Decision 08/2023/QD-KTNN (effective from July 13, 2023), based on the annual technical plan issued by the State Auditor General, the unit presiding over the audit shall carry out the following work steps:

Preparation, approval and submission of Survey Outline in Vietnam

(1) Prepare Survey Outline

- The survey outline includes the following main contents: Survey basis; background information to be collected according to the nature of the audit; documents, records, and reports to be collected related to the audited issue; organize the survey team (survey personnel...); units are surveyed in detail; survey time; cost estimates; and physical conditions for survey activities.

- The survey can use information collected from the previous survey document (for previously audited units).
or information of units already on the State Audit's audit lead database software system, information exploited by information technology on electronic data of the audited unit, relevant agencies, organizations, and individuals; only require the audited entity to provide additional information that has changed compared to the last previous audit and information that has not been collected from the above forms.

(2) Approving the Survey Outline

The Chief Auditor approves the Survey Outline before sending it to the surveyed units and conducting the survey.

(3) Submit Survey Outline

The survey outline is sent to the surveyed unit together with the Official Dispatch to the survey outline before carrying out survey and information collection procedures at the unit.

Regulations on surveying and collecting audit information of the State Audit in Vietnam (Internet image)

Surveying and collecting information in Vietnam

(i) The survey and information collection comply with the regulations and guidance of the State Audit.

(ii) When conducting the survey, the survey team must strictly follow the approved survey outline. The survey is carried out by sending a request for information and documents; exploiting information technology, exploiting electronic data of the State Audit, audited units, relevant agencies, organizations, and individuals, and conducting a survey directly at the audited units.

(iii) Collecting information about the audited entity, its operating environment, financial position, and other relevant information

- Depending on the type of audit, the objectives and requirements of the audit will determine the necessary information to collect, which may include:

+ Characteristics of the unit;

+ Legal regulations and other factors affecting the operation of the entity;

+ The accounting policies that the entity is applying; regulations on the framework for preparing and presenting financial statements and financial information of the audited entity;

The financial position of the entity;

+ The situation of management and use of financial resources; financial management, budget at the unit, activities, transactions; information related to financial management and other public assets with important influence; implementation of assigned targets and tasks;

+ Measuring and evaluating the performance of the unit;

+ Situation of inspection, examination, audit, and investigation (if any);

+ Disputes over economic and financial contracts and other disputes; pending and recently concluded cases involving the auditee; complaints and denunciations of officials, employees, and other related subjects (if any);

+ Other relevant information.

Methods of data collection:

+ Reviewing and comparing relevant documents and regulations;

+ Exchanging and interviewing managers and responsible employees of the unit;

+ Extracting from the archives of the State Audit Office related to the audited entity;

+ Communicate with specialized management agencies, direct superior state management agencies;

+ Exploiting information related to the audited entity in the mass media;

+ Requesting the audited unit and agencies, organizations, and individuals related to audit activities to report in writing or provide information and documents according to audit objectives.

+ Access to national databases and electronic data of the State Audit, audited units, agencies, organizations, and individuals related to audit activities to exploit and collect information and documents directly related to the audit content and scope; access to data must comply with the provisions of the law and be responsible for the protection of confidentiality and safety in accordance with the provisions of the law;

+ Exploiting relevant information with other specific characteristics according to audit requirements.

(iv) Collect information about the internal control system

- Information to be collected about the internal control system:

+ Controlled environment;

+ Risk assessment (management) process of the entity;

Information systems related to the preparation and presentation of financial statements, including relevant operational processes and communication (for financial audits);

+ Related control activities;

+ Monitoring controls.

When understanding the entity's internal control system, the State Auditor shall follow the State Auditing System and relevant guidelines of the State Audit.

- The main methods of collecting information about the internal control system:

+ Exchanging and interviewing relevant managers and employees of the unit; 

+ Checking and analyzing relevant reports and documents;

+ Directly observing a number of stages in the unit's activities;

+ Field observations (if necessary);

+ Test some stages of the internal control process (if any).

Mai Thanh Loi

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